Contemporary Arts from the Different Regions

Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600

Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section: 11/12
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 6 – Phil Arts Subject Teacher:

ARCHITECTURE
For this lesson, we will focus more about the understanding and appreciation of
Architecture in the different Regions in the Philippines.

Learning Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:
1. recognize the different architecture designs in the Philippine Setting
2. evaluate our own knowledge about Philippine Architecture;
3. recognize the people in Philippine Architecture; and
4. understanding of the beauty of the Architecture

INTRODUCTION

Architecture, the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from
the skills associated with construction. The practice of architecture is employed to fulfill both
practical and expressive requirements, and thus it serves both utilitarian and aesthetic ends.
Although these two ends may be distinguished, they cannot be separated, and the relative
weight given to each can vary widely. Because every society—whether highly developed or
less so, settled or nomadic—has a spatial relationship to the natural world and to other
societies, the structures they produce reveal much about their environment (including
climate and weather), history, ceremonies, and artistic sensibility, as well as many aspects of
daily life

Etymology:

 Latin Word: Architectus- Greek word: Architekton

 Archi: to be the first
 Tecton: mason, builder

Contemporary Architecture is definable broadly as the building style of the present day.
However, examples do not necessarily have similar or easily recognizable features because
the “style” is really quite varied and has a number of different influences.

INQUIRE AND DISCOVER

Materials used in Architecture

 The classic material used in architecture are wood, stone and brick. Modern materials
include cast iron, structural steel and reinforced concrete.
 Cast iron is a group of iron-carbon alloys with a carbon content greater than 2%. Its
usefulness derives from its relatively low melting temperature.
 Reinforced concrete (RC) is a composite material in which concrete's relatively low
tensile strength and ductility are counteracted by the inclusion of reinforcement
having higher tensile strength or ductility. Ferrocement or ferro-cement is a system of
reinforced mortar or plaster applied over layer of ... Ferro-concrete is the original
name of reinforced concrete (armored concrete) known at least since the 1890s and
in 1903

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 Contemporary Arts from the Different Regions
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section: 11/12
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 6 – Phil Arts Subject Teacher:

 Post and Lintel - also called prop and lintel or a targeted system is a building system
where strong horizontal elements are held up by strong vertical elements with large
spaces between them.
 Cantilever- A cantilever is a rigid structural element, such as a beam or a plate,
anchored at only one end to a (usually vertical) support from which it is protruding.
 Truss System -a truss is a structure that "consists of two-force members only, where the
members are organized so that the assemblage as a whole behaves as a single
object". A "two-force member" is a structural component where force is applied to
only two points.
 Arch - An arch is a curved structure that spans a space and may or may not support
weight above it. Arch may be synonymous with vault, but a vault may be
distinguished as a continuous arch
 Dome - A dome (from Latin: domus) is an architectural element that resembles the
hollow upper half of a sphere.
 Shell structures -Thin-shell structures are also called plate and shell structures. They are
lightweight constructions using shell elements
 Solar Panels - A photovoltaic (PV) module is a packaged, connect assembly of
typically 6×10 photovoltaic solar cells.

Architectural types
Architecture is created only to fulfill the specifications of an individual or group. Economic law
prevents architects from emulating their fellow artists in producing works for which the demand is
nonexistent or only potential.

Domestic architecture

Domestic architecture is produced for the social unit: the individual, family, or clan and their
dependents, human and animal. It provides shelter and security for the basic physical functions of life
and at times also for commercial, industrial, or agricultural activities that involve the family unit rather
than the community.

“Vernacular” architecture

In much of the world today, even where institutions have been in a continuous process of change,
dwelling types of ancient or prehistoric origin are in use. The forces that produce a dynamic evolution
of architectural style in communal building are usually inactive in the home and farm. The lives of
average people may be unaltered by the most fundamental changes in their institutions. The people
can be successively slaves, the subjects of a monarchy, and voting citizens without having the means
or the desire to change their customs, techniques, or surroundings. Economic pressure is the major
factor that causes average individuals to restrict their demands to a level far below that which the
technology of their time is capable of maintaining.

“Power” architecture

As wealth and expressive functions increase, a special type of domestic building can be
distinguished that may be called power architecture. In almost every civilization the pattern of
society gives to a few of its members the power to utilize the resources of the community in the
construction of their homes, palaces, villas, gardens, and places of recreation. These few, whose

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 Contemporary Arts from the Different Regions
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section: 11/12
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 6 – Phil Arts Subject Teacher:

advantages usually arise from economic, religious, or class distinctions, are able to enjoy an infinite
variety of domestic activities connected with the mores of their position.

HISTORY OF PHILIPPINE ARCHITECTURE

The history and culture of the Philippines are reflected in its architectural heritage, in the
dwellings of its various peoples, in churches and mosques, and in the buildings that have risen
in response to the demands of progress and the aspirations of the people.

Architecture in the Philippines today is the result of a natural growth enriched with the
absorption of varied influences. It developed from the pre-colonial influences of our
neighboring Malay brothers, continuing on to the Spanish colonial period, the American
Commonwealth period, and the modern contemporary times. As a result, the Philippines has
become an architectural melting pot– uniquely Filipino with a tinge of the occidental.

The late national hero for architecture, Leandro Locsin once said, that Philippine
Architecture is an elusive thing, because while it makes full use of modern technology, it is a
residue of the different overlays of foreign influences left in the Philippines over the centuries:
the early Malay culture and vestiges of earlier Hindu influences, the more than 300 years of
Spanish domination, the almost 50 years of American rule, the Arab and Chinese influences
through commerce and trade over the centuries. What resulted may have been a hybrid, a
totally new configuration which may include a remembrance of the past, but transformed or
framed in terms of its significance today.

 The Philippine’s architectural landscape is a contrast among small traditional huts built
of wood, bamboo, nipa, grass, and other native materials; the massive Spanish colonial
churches, convents and fortifications, with their heavy “earthquake baroque” style; the
American mission style architecture as well as the buildings of commerce with their
modern 20th century styles; and today’s contemporary, albeit “modern mundane”
concrete structures of the cities.
 The Rizal house in Calamba, Laguna and the Luna house in Badoc, Ilocos Norte are
good examples. Vigan, Ilocos Sur as well as Taal in Batangas have the best surviving
Spanish quarters. The city of Manila, Ilo-ilo and Cebu also have some notable old
houses. Other areas of the country present different forms of tribal architecture as
compared to the low-land bahay kubo which is influenced greatly by culture, and in
some cases, climate and the environment. In the upland regions of the Cordillera
Mountains, the houses, though still using native materials, is a bit more secured.
 The arrival of the Spaniards in 1571 brought in Antillian architecture. Though not
specifically suited for the hot tropics, European architecture was transposed via
Acapulco, Mexico into a uniquely Filipino style. The style traces its roots from the Antilles,
in Central America rather than from mother Spain.
 In time, the friars’ task was taken over by Filipino and Chinese master-builders. These
craftsmen have sometimes left their native stamp in the decorative motifs: tropical
vegetation by Filipinos, lions and dragons by Chinese. The churches were built with an
adjacent convento (priest house and office: also served as school, tribunal, prison and
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 Contemporary Arts from the Different Regions
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section: 11/12
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 6 – Phil Arts Subject Teacher:

evacuation house during calamities), attached or detached belfry (as seen in the Ilocos
Region where the belfry was built a couple of meters away from the church structure,
this to anticipate a collapse of the belfry in times of earthquake) and walled forecourt.
The large three-story belfry, affording a good view of the surrounding land and sea, were
used as watchtowers for approaching enemies.
 Commercial structures which developed only during the latter part of the Spanish period
evolved primarily from the typical Filipino noble house or the Bahay na Bato. The Bahay
na Bato is a derivation of the traditional. Bahay Kubo with more sturdier materials as the
main form of construction. Using the same spatial arrangements of the Bahay
kubo, the Bahay na Bato continued the principle of open ventilation and elevated
apartments as that of its predecessor.
 Other structures developed during the Spanish Period were schools and
hospitals (Ateneo Municipal, University of Santo Tomas, Colegio de Letran, Hospital de
San Juan de Dios). Though most often attached to the church, these structures
eventually developed into their own following the tropical baroque style of architecture
popular at the time.
 Foremost of the American contributions to the country was the establishment of civil
government. This led to the erection of government buildings from the city all the way
to the municipal level. Government houses dotted every community. Designed in the
most respectable manner, these government houses resembled Greek or roman
temples complete with porticoes and pediments.
 The revival period, popular at the turn of the century, became the foremost
architectural parlance of the era as seen in such buildings as
the Government Post Office Building as well as the Legislative House. Education of the
masses also became the thrust of the American regime, as such, public education was
established, foremost of which is the University of the Philippines. With American rule
firmly established in the islands, the military government at the time invited the noted
Chicago architect and town planner Daniel Burnham to develop the city of Manila and
found a summer capital in the area of Baguio.
 The eclectic style, a mixture of historic styles, also found its way in some of the
commercial establishments rising in the business district such as the Regina
Building along historic Escolta. The emergence of Art Nouveau also gave some samples
in the central business districts (Uy-Chaco Building along Calle Rosario and Plaza
Cervantes) as well as in stately homes of the well to do (Casa de Ariston Bautista in Calle
Barbosa, Quiapo).
 The aftermath of the Second World War left nothing but destruction in its wake, and a
time of rebuilding ensued. The modern era dawned on Philippine architecture using the
simple straight lines of the International Modern Style as a chief mode of expression. By
the 70`s a new form of Philippine architecture emerged with the filipinization of
architecture. The Filipino style found its way in the re-emergence of traditional motifs,the
bahay-kubo and the bahay na bato became popular forms to be copied and
modernized (Batasan Pambansa, BLISS Housing projects). By the 80`s the country’s
architectural idiom was swept by the tide of Post Modernism, a hearkening back of
some sort to the romance of classical architecture. Today, architecture in the Philippines
continue to be vibrant and with the country opening up to the world, more first-rate
architecture is pouring in.

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 Contemporary Arts from the Different Regions
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section: 11/12
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 6 – Phil Arts Subject Teacher:

Iconic Architectural Structures in the Philippines

1. Main Building – University of Santo Tomas University of Santo Tomas Main Building

 Designed by a Spanish priest-civil

engineer Rev. Fr. Roque Ruaño in 1920
to 1923, the main building of the
Philippine’s oldest university, located
along Espana Boulevard, is also the first
earthquake resistant building in the
country. The design was fine tuned after
the lessons learned from the Great
Kantō earthquake that flattened Tokyo and Yokohama in September 1, 1923.

2. Quezon Hall – University of the Philippines Diliman Quezon Hall UP Diliman

 Designed by Juan Nakpil, the first

architect to receive the National Artist
award in 1973, Quezon Hall houses the
administrative offices of the university
located in Diliman, Quezon City.
Constructed in the 1950s, the building
sports an eclectic style, combining
different styles into one structure. The
same style is used for the university’s
main library, also designed by Nakpil.

3. Nicanor Reyes Hall – Far Eastern University Complex Nicanor Reyes Hall - FEU

 Considered the largest body of work done

in Art Deco style in Manila, the Nicanor
Reyes Hall is part of the five buildings in
the FEU complex designed by Pablo
Antonio. Antonio is the second architect
to receive the National Artist award in
1976, a year after his death. In 2005, the
five Art Deco-style buildings earned a
citation from the United Nations
Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for the Asia-Pacific
Heritage Award for Cultural Heritage.

4. Philippine International Convention Center Philippine International Convention Center

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 Contemporary Arts from the Different Regions
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section: 11/12
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 6 – Phil Arts Subject Teacher:

 An example of the massive, fortress-

style Brutalist architecture, the
Philippine International Convention
Center (PICC) is a brainchild of
Leandro Locsin, one of the greatest
master architects that the Philippines
has produced. For a state-of-the-art
structure, the PICC was surprisingly
completed within only 23 months from 1974 to 1976. It has hosted foreign and
local conventions, including the annual Awards Night of the Filipino Academy of
Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS).

5. National Theater – Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex National Theater CCP
Complex
 The National Theater or
Tanghalang Pambansa, formerly
the Theater of Performing Arts, is
the CCP’s flagship venue and
houses its principal offices. Like the
PICC, the theater is only a part of
the CCP complex, a sprawling 88-
hectare government owned
structure.

 The National Theater’s design is another work by Leandro Locsin and carries his
signature style of the “floating volume,” which combines a heavy use of
concrete with elevated structures. The result is a startling contrast of a massive
looking structure that seemingly floats.

6. Tanghalang Mariang Makiling – National Arts Center Tanghalang Mariang Makiling

 Part of the National Arts Center, the

Tanghalang Mariang Makiling is a
performance and arts venue of
Philippine High School for the Arts’
students and other artists. This is
another master work by Leandro
Locsin who radically adapted the
nipa hut design for this piece.

7. San Miguel Corporation Building San Miguel Corporation Building

 Designed by the Mañosa brothers (Manuel,

Francisco, and Jose), the San Miguel
Corporation Building in Ortigas serves as the
head office of one of the largest
corporations in the Philippines. The building’s
unique design is inspired by the Banaue rice
terraces. Landscaping is done by the National Artist for Architecture in 2006,

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 Contemporary Arts from the Different Regions
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section: 11/12
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 6 – Phil Arts Subject Teacher:

Ildefonso Santos, who is considered the father of Philippine landscape

architecture.

8. Pearl Farm Beach Resort Pearl Farm Beach

Resort
 Located in Samal island of Davao City,
the Pearl Farm Beach Resort is built on
what was once a farm for culturing
pearls. A handiwork of Francisco Mañosa
who was a strong advocate of
indigenous architecture, the resort’s design was adapted from the traditional stilt
houses built along the coastline. In 2009, Mañosa received the National Artist
award for architecture.

9. Philam Life Building – Manila

 Built in 1961, the building is designed by Carlos Arguelles in the International

Style, with its emphasis on rectilinear forms and plane surfaces stripped of
ornamentation. Arguelles was also the architect behind the Manila Pavilion
Hotel and Casino (formerly Manila Hilton) and the Development Bank of the
Philippines Building in Makati.

 A well-loved landmark not only for its design,

the Philam Life Building houses an auditorium
that has long served as a venue for music
and performance productions. The insurance
company itself had moved its head office to
the Net Lima building in Bonifacio Global City
last year.

10. The Mind Museum The Mind Museum in BGC

 The Mind Museum in Bonifacio Global

City is hard to miss. For its sheer design
alone, it is a landmark work from the
father and son team of Lor and Ed
Calma, and their architectural firm.
 Due to its amorphic form which
mimics the cellular membrane, the
museum has no singular facade that
remains the same when viewed all
around. Recently, it won an international award from the 20th annual Thea
Awards for its design and exhibitions, a first for a science museum in Asia.

11. Zuellig Building

 On any given day, the Zuellig Building mesmerizes with its ghostly beauty. Its all-
glass façade with barely discernible edges makes this premium-grade office
building in Makati business district blend and even disappear in its surrounding
sky and landscape.
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 Contemporary Arts from the Different Regions
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section: 11/12
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 6 – Phil Arts Subject Teacher:

 The first structure to receive a platinum

level of Leader in Energy and
Environmental Design (LEED)
certification – the highest in the country
– from the US Green Building Council
(USGBC), the Zuellig building is built with
sustainability in mind. Its design is a
collaboration between the New York-
based Skidmore, Owings and Merrill and 50-year architectural veteran W.V
Coscolluela & Associates.

12. G.T. International Tower

 Developed by Federal Land, the

building takes its initials from its owner
and chairman of the Metrobank
Group, George Ty. The tower sports a
10-storey vertical fin for its crown and is
one of the most recognizable buildings
in the Makati skyline. Its design is a
collaboration between the local
architectural firm GF & Partners
Architects and Gozar Planners Philippines in collaboration with the international
firm Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates.

13. Mall of Asia Arena Mall of Asia Arena

 (Located within the SM Mall of Asia complex in Pasay City, Mall of Asia Arena is
the newest sports and events arena in
the metro after its official opening in
2012. With a seating capacity of 16,000
and a full-house capacity of 20,000 – it
rivals the Smart Araneta Coliseum for
the biggest indoor arena in Southeast
Asia.

14. Manila Cathedral

 The Minor Basilica and Metropolitan

Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
is the cathedral of Manila and basilica
located in the historic walled city of
Intramuros.
 The cathedral was originally a parish
church in Manila built by Juan de Vivero, a
secular priest, and was dedicated to Our
Lady of the Immaculate Conception. The cathedral was damaged and
destroyed several times due to destruction caused by war, fires, typhoons, and
8
 Contemporary Arts from the Different Regions
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section: 11/12
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 6 – Phil Arts Subject Teacher:

earthquakes. The eighth and current structure of the cathedral was completed
in 1958.
15. Miagao Church

 Located in Miagao in Iloilo, the church’s over-

all architectural style falls under the Baroque
Romanesque architectural style. Its ochre color
is due to the materials used in constructing the
church: adobe, egg, coral and limestone. The
church’s foundation is 6 meters deep and the massive stone walls at 1.5 meters
thick are intensified through the use of 4-meter-thick flying buttresses as
protection to the Moro invade
 Arguably the best example of neoclassical architecture in the Philippines, the
building was originally designed by Bureau of Public Works Consulting Architect
Ralph Harrington Doane and Antonio Toledo in 1918.

16. Manila City Hall

 The Manila City Hall is located in the historic

center of Ermita, Manila. It is where the
Mayor of Manila holds office and the
chambers of the Manila City Council. It was
originally intended to be a part of a national
government center envisioned by Daniel
Burnham in the 1930s.
17. Proscenium Proscenium by Rockwell

 One of the most awaited pre-selling

projects by Rockwell Land, the
Proscenium is designed by Carlos Ott,
the Uruguayan architect renowned for
his design of L’Opéra de la Bastille, a
modern theater icon in Paris.

National Artists for Architecture

1. Pablo S. Antonio

 pioneered modern Philippine architecture. His basic design is grounded on simplicity,

no clutter. The lines are clean and smooth, and where there are curves
 “For our father, every line must have a meaning, a purpose. For him, function comes
first before elegance or form“.
 believes that buildings “should be planned with austerity in mind and its stability
forever as the aim of true architecture, that buildings must be progressive, simple in

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 Contemporary Arts from the Different Regions
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section: 11/12
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 6 – Phil Arts Subject Teacher:

design but dignified, true to a purpose without resorting to an

applied set of aesthetics and should eternally recreate truth.”

2. Leandro V. Locsin

 reshaped the urban landscape with a distinctive

architecture reflective of Philippine Art and Culture.
 believes that the true Philippine Architecture is “the
product of two great streams of culture, the oriental and
the occidental… to produce a new object of profound
harmony.”
 has produced 75 residences and 88 buildings, including 11
churches and chapels, 23 public buildings, 48 commercial buildings, six major
hotels, and an airport terminal building.

3. Juan Napkil

 architect, teacher and civic leader, is a pioneer and innovator in Philippine

architecture.
 believes that there is such a thing as Philippine Architecture, espousing architecture
reflective of Philippine traditions and culture.
 has integrated strength, function, and beauty in the buildings that are the country’s
heritage today.

4. Ildefonso Paez Santos, Jr.

 distinguished himself by pioneering the practice of landscape architecture–an

allied field of architecture–in the Philippines and then producing four decades of
exemplary and engaging work that has included hundreds of parks, plazas,
gardens, and a wide range of outdoor settings that have enhanced contemporary
Filipino life.
 made his first mark with the Makati Commercial Center where he introduced a new
concept of outdoor shopping with landscaped walks, fountains and sculptures as
accents

5. Jose Maria Zaragoza

 graduated from the University of Santo Tomas in

Manila in 1936, passing the licensure examinations in
1938 to become the 82nd architect of the Philippines.
 studied at International Institute of Liturgical Art (IILA) in
Rome in the late 1950s, where he obtained a diploma
in liturgical art and architecture. His training in Rome
resulted in innovative approaches, setting new
standards for the design of mid-century Catholic
churches in the Philippines.

REFERENCES:

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 Contemporary Arts from the Different Regions
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section: 11/12
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 6 – Phil Arts Subject Teacher:

• http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/national-artists-of-the-philippines/
• Gole Cruz,E. (2019). 15 iconic structures of the Philippines. . Retrieved August 15, 2020 from
• Zipmatch. (2014). 16 Iconic Architectural Structures in the Philippines. Retrieved August 15,
2020 from https://www.zipmatch.com/blog/architectural-structures-in-philippines/
• Noche, M. (2014). History of Architecture from the Philippines. Retrieved August 20,2020 from:
https://ncca.gov.ph/about-ncca-3/subcommissions/subcommission-on-the-arts-
sca/architecture-and-allied-arts-2/history-of-philippine-
architecture/?fbclid=IwAR2RIk1W13AgoJT5W3UHdIJ11u8olrU_eBe9yg4ZeWe0p42jmzrMuKwjVW
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BOOKS:
 Palencia, M. (2017). Contemporary Philippine Arts from the Regions. Fastbooks
Educational Suppy, Inc.
 Tadem, T. & Morada, N. (2006). Contemporary Arts of the Philippines: An Introduction.
Quezon City: University of the Philippines

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